Eikev
Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25

By Torah Blogger, Jen Smith

As the days of summer slowly slip into the golden light of Elul, and backpacks are filled with sharpened pencils and anxious hopes, we find ourselves in that sacred season known as “back to school.” Whether you’re a student, a teacher, a parent, or just someone who remembers the scent of a new notebook, this season carries a unique blend of nerves, excited energy, and potential….and so does Parshat Eikev.

Eikev begins with a curious phrase:

V’hayah eikev tishme’un… (And it shall come to pass, as a result of your listening…) Deut. 7:12

But the word Eikev is strange. It literally means “heel,” like the heel of one’s foot! Rashi taught that this refers to the mitzvot people might “trample underfoot,” meaning the small commandments that seem unimportant. But the Torah reminds us that while some of those mitzvot feel beneath our notice, indeed hold great spiritual power.

This idea is deeply rooted in Jewish mysticism. In the Zohar, the “heel” represents the most physical, grounded part of the body where our actions meet the earth. Mystics understood this to mean that our spiritual growth isn’t only about soaring prayer or ecstatic spirituality; it’s about the small, mundane actions – performed consistently and with intention – that truly elevate the soul.

And what better time to remember that than at the beginning of a school year?

For students, it’s easy to dream of big goals: good grades, winning games, and starring roles. But Eikev whispers to us, reminding us that sometimes it’s the small things that matter most. Holding the door for someone, including the new kid, listening carefully and respectfully, showing up with kindness (even when no one notices) – each of these “heel mitzvot” forms the spiritual foundation of who we are becoming.

This parsha is also deeply tied to memory and promise. Moses reminds the Israelites of their journey through the wilderness, the struggles they’ve faced, and the growth they’ve experienced. He tells them of manna from heaven as a divine reminder that especially in hardship, God provides. And He urges them not to forget that it wasn’t their strength alone that brought them to this moment.

Back-to-school season mirrors this lesson. Students are not starting from scratch – they’re continuing a journey on their way to transformation. The notebooks may be new, but the soul has been writing its story all along. Every year offers another chapter, and another chance to grow into who we are meant to be.

And for all of us – not just students – Eikev asks: What are the small steps I’ve been overlooking? What daily acts might I trample with my heel, oblivious to their holy potential?

May we move into this new season with humility, hope, and heightened awareness. Let us remember that our spiritual lives are built one quiet, sacred, step at a time. And let us teach our children (and ourselves) that even the tiniest mitzvah can light the way forward. Because sometimes, all it takes is putting one foot in front of the other with love, with intention, and with faith in the journey ahead.

Shabbat Shalom and good luck this school year! You’ve already begun.